Maldonboy38

I picked Hawthorn today, as much as I loathe them. Clarkson is a coaching genius and his game day coaching a particular strength. Watching it now, it looks like the Dogs will come over the top in the 2nd half but It would be great for the Dees to see the Doggies get rolled.

Connolly is a genuine innovator and free thinker, as well as being a great story teller. Very entertaining on Front Bum. But he was also the "brain" behind the benefits of losing campaign, and for that he will remain one of those I don't take much notice of anymore.

1. Tassie have an outstanding footy heritage, but being the only market the AFL have NOT poured cash into, there is as much groundwork to do there as there was in the Gold Coast. Junior footy there seems a total, weak mess. 2. An existing AFL club is not going to move. The Roos are the closest but they have enough assets, capital and membership willpower that they will never move there permanently. 3. Many people would be surprised at how many Tassie businesses would get involved, and how many start up members they could sign up. 4. North / South divide is a major issue, but only Hobart has the critical mass for a long term initiative. It might take 10 years, but they could bee Geelong-like in their sense of identity and parochialism. I am all for it, would love it. I have lived there twice (many years ago) and have family there. But I reckon it could be 2025 before we see it, with COVID, and no club willing to move.

Others are ahead of both, but of the 2, Jones easily. Vanders lack of footy IQ is consistently alarming.

How we have lamented our drafting, trading and player development program between 2005 and 2015. The amount of players we got wrong, and the high draft picks we burned or stuffed up. Not now. Rivers, Jordon, Kossie, Jackson, Sparrow, and now Bowie. He was super last night. A gut-wrenching brain fade in the last quarter (I reckon his face will be as red as his hair when he reviews that play one-on-one with Chaplin) but so clean, amazingly sharp on his feet, and works hard when he hasn't got the ball. And after years of few players with top-end foot skills, we actually have another good kick!

With 2 rounds to go before a pre-finals bye, then the finals, it will be very interesting to watch the selection ins and outs. I'm not sure if Goodwin is a coach who rests players as a rule; he seems to not like too many changes unless a player has broken a gameplan rule, or not worked hard defensively. Vanders. Simply, please do NOT play him again. He is like a toddler - full-on run and dash without the intelligence to go with it. Viney. Interesting. I love what he can bring when at his best, but I wonder if a) Jordon, Sparrow and Harmes have all gone past him, and b) do we need him now? Melksham. Some of the stuff he does inside 50, no-one else in our team can do. Mercurial at times. But a lot of the stuff he DOESN'T do - like chase, harrass, pressure and the defensive 1%ers - makes me scream at the tv. Jones. I still love the man. His ground level grunt and wonderful kicking could still be useful, but opposition players would run off him too easily. OUT: Hunt (inj) Vanders IN: Hibberd TMac CHANGE: Jordon into the 22, Sparrow to med sub.

Ah Melbourne FC, keeping the cardiac ward at the Alfred hospital well stocked for the past 150 years. But thankyou for top 4 and the double chance - much appreciated.

It's been mostly a great year to watch the Dees, but we remain horrible in most clutch moments late in games. We forget almost entirely to win the ball. we float around trying to save things.

I don't know how much more stupid forward play I can watch. Petracca - miss. Jackson - miss. Spargo - steps off the line. Grrrr!

6 Fumbling 5 Trying to avoid the first tackler and getting pinged 4 the V8 running on 5 cylinders 3 Spargo 2 Fritsch 1 Petty

More points than goals... again. Consistent high long bombs into our F50 that went nowhere. Handballing to stationary team mates 1 metre away, or high loopy ones putting them under pressure. Flogged at ground level all over the ground. Little intensity around the packs And stuff me, the fumbling. What was that. Sometimes I have no idea why I waste so much time watching the Dees play. With ball in hand we were so unenjoyable. And if I see one more player try to evade the 1st tackle, get whacked, and then stuff up trying to do the 2nd handball, I will puke. Give the first option. And yet, we are on top of the ladder. How can we be on top of the ladder and yet I feel so carp!!!

Wow. With one of the best lists we have ever had, and we simply won't show any intensity. Getting flogged around the ball, jogging around, and getting annihilated at half forward.

Our fumbling is really starting to irritate.

Frustrating to watch. Clean up our skills and we kill them. Viney struggling. Delivery to half forward putrid. Hawks pressure good.

Good question. If form in the Casey games is any indicator, and trying to replace something close to like for like, Jones would be first up, and Melksham next. Neither can offer exactly what Harmes has but they are the closest. Bowey or Sparrow from the young guys. Declase coud be a ripper but it is too soon for him.

Personally, I think bringing in Vanders is a mistake. I have watched a bit of Casey games and would have thought a fair few were in front of him. I love his tackling and toughness, but he is a momentum killer. His mistakes are often brutally simple but result in opposition goals. Hope I am wrong today.

Another snooze fest. If it wasn't for Fyffe being such a star there would be no reason to watch. I really hope he turns on a ripper tonight but so far not much to enjoy.

Thursday night Dees play great footy to win a big game. Saturday - a full day slowly pottering in the garden followed by slow roasted lamb over a day-long fire pit, with a nice Barossa red. Saints beat the Lions. Watched all 3 sets of Barty playing the stick inset from Czech. Sunday meal at Pratty's Patch celebrating 29 years of marriage. Bulldogs show their pressure weakness again and lose to the Swans. Tiges get done. Feeling like a really smug b**tard tonight with the woodfire on and the Dees on top of the ladder. Look out Mrs Maldonboy!

Appalling free kick (and subsequent goal) to the Dogs. Umpire should be in the VFL next week for that.

Jared Rivers and Jeremy Howe on the golf course at Sandringham. Both really nice blokes - happy to chat and not full of themselves at all.

A great game of footy between Dogs and Swans, Swans looking really good.

Young players can develop habits that need quick attention. Think Kozzie and his flopping for free kicks. Young Bowie needs to stop showing disgust every time someone does not kick it to him. The kid has some talent but I would hate him to end up with an entitled attitude like Rankine from the Gold Coast. Bradtke is really interesting. How long can you let someone take take to develop? We have seen nothing over 3 years (?) But he looked really good yesterday.

As much as I despise the expansion clubs, I have to take my hat off to Gold Coast. I hate the modern terminology of a team's "brand", but you can actually see a definite system of play emerging. Can't believe I am saying this, but I actually enjoy watching them.

My eldest son almost played for the Boort 2nds - for a bit of kick and giggle. Your observation is astonishgly accurate.

If Baker could kick he could be anything. Vandenberg, Melksham and Jetta all look like AFL players but this game doesn't put them in the picture for a recall. Weid looks good, but struggles to transfer it to the AFL. Bowey and Declase look like a couple to keep our eye on. Sparrow, Chandler, Bedford all look ok but nothing outstanding.